Decision details

The Cabinet gave consideration to a report of the Deputy Chief Executive People and Place which requested approval to revise the level of planned expenditure and investment within the Council’s Capital Strategy and Programme, to support wider regeneration and investment ambitions. This would align to the emerging property strategy review ‘Creating a Better Place’ which aimed to deliver a balance between public sector projects, to meet the needs of the local community, and to support accelerated economic growth and thriving communities across the borough.

The Cabinet noted that Oldham Council was ambitious and bold, and it was on the cusp of an exciting programme of significant change, which was essential to achieve its wider objectives. Corporate land and property assets were critical to this agenda and therefore the previously approved Medium-Term Property Strategy (MTPS) had been reviewed as it needed to meet the scale of the change required.

Members were informed that this report set the framework for the Council’s regeneration ambitions and there was much more to follow in the New Year.

At a strategic level, the review had confirmed that the property portfolio could be a catalyst for building new homes, creating job opportunities, re-skilling residents through new apprenticeship opportunities, and re-engaging communities and partners through property/estate co-location and collaboration.

New core areas of focus had been identified for property services through the MTPS, which incorporated key priority projects: Investments (direct and indirectly into property), Housing, Regeneration (especially the Town Centre) and the Corporate Estate.

This required changes to be made to the governance arrangements, and service delivery structures to ensure the right resources were in place for effective and enhanced delivery across this programme.

Options/Alternatives considered:

·       Option 1 - Do not agree the proposals

·       Option 2 - Agree the proposals

RESOLVED – That the Cabinet would consider the commercially sensitive information contained at Item 19 of the agenda before making a decision.